Guests enjoyed a cocktail reception before dinner where Kate spoke about little George's christening, noting how well behaved he was: "He was such a good boy actually, he's not always like that, but, the people there, lots going on, it's slightly distracting." The Duchess revealed the three-month-old was "fast asleep" when she left tonight.

Prince William became patron of 100 Women in Hedge Funds' philanthropic initiatives in 2009 and, in late 2012, the Duchess and Prince Harry joined William to become patrons for an additional three years. The organisation has a strong track record of supporting charities and has raised $28 million in the areas of women's and family health, education and mentoring.

Kate chatting with guests.

Tonight's gala benefited Kate's patronage Action on Addiction - the only UK charity working across the addiction field in research, prevention, treatment, professional education and support. One in three people suffer from addiction, a quite shocking statistic, I think you'll agree. It breaks up families and destroys lives, and I don't think there is one of us who doesn't know someone affected by addiction, yet there is still a great deal of misunderstanding about what it is, who it effects and how to reach out for the appropriate help.

Through her patronage, the Duchess has attempted to bring the problem to the public's attention through a series of engagements. Earlier this year she visited the Willows Primary School to meet children of addicts where she said:

'Addiction is a hugely complex and destructive disease and its impact can be simply devastating. All too often, lives and families can be destroyed by it.

Research has shown that children of those who are addicted are seven times more likely to have addiction problems themselves. They are also brought up surrounded by fear, instability and chaos.'

The charity's vision is to disarm addiction and they take action in a variety of ways including prevention, treatment and rehabilitation, support for families and children, research, education, workforce development and advocacy. If you wish to donate or find out more about the charity please Click Here.

Action on Addiction

Staff from Action on Addiction were incredibly excited about the gala and shared a photo via their Facebook Page before leaving for Kensington Palace. They all looked lovely in their black frocks.

Action on Addiction Facebook Page

The Cambridges attended the 2011 gala at St James's Palace, which raised over £675,000 for the Child Bereavement Charity, while Prince William attended last year's gala solo.

The organisation shared a photo of the venue of the gala - The King's Gallery. Tickets ranged in price from £2,000 to £60,000 for a platinum table seating twelve.

100 Women in Hedge Funds

Now that William and Kate have moved into Apartment 1A, I expect we will see them hosting more events at the State Apartments. The King's Gallery is the longest and largest of them and it was an ideal venue for the black tie event. It hasn't changed very much since 1727 when it was decorated for King George I and it was used for displaying pictures as well as for exercise. It is dominated by a copy of Van Dyck's portrait of Charles I on horseback at its east end.

Dame Amelia has undertaken a vast number of charitable efforts, she is Chairman of Trustees of the Prince of Wales's Charitable Foundation.

100 Women in Hedge Funds Twitter Feed

Kate looked beautiful in an ink blue Jenny Packham dress. The off the shoulder silk tulle gown is from the designer Autumn/Winter 2013/2014 collection and features a deep v neck.

Jenny Packham

The gown is described this way.

'Simply stunning in ink-tinged silk, this floor-grazing gown from Jenny Packham is the ultimate in evening elegance. It features a wrapped front, V-neckline, gathered short sleeves, black velvet sash, hidden back zip, tailored bodice and full skirt'.

It is a stunning piece and undoubtedly one of Kate's best evening looks thus far. The dress is available at StyleBop for €4,219.

StyleBop

Kate accessorised with her diamond flower cluster art-deco bracelet with matching diamond earrings. They are thought to have been a wedding gift from Prince Charles.

It was lovely to see Kate supporting Action on Addiction, a total of £675,000 was raised at the event. The royals patronage of 100 Women in Hedge Funds will continue to prove important for charities close to their hearts. In 2014 they plan to support Well Child, a national charity helping sick children and a patronage of Prince Harry's, and in 2015 another of Kate's patronages The Art Room, as part of The Charities Forum of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, which endeavours to bring their individual charitable interests together to maximise the benefit of a royal patronage.

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The official portraits from Prince George's christening were released tonight. Below we look at my personal favourite, George looks particularly jolly in this one :)

Daily Mail

The historic photos capture four generations of the Royal family together. Below we see The Queen with three future monarchs - Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince George. It is the first time a monarch has been photographed with three heirs since 1894, when the future Edward VIII was photographed at his christening with his father, later George V, grandfather, the future Edward VII, and great grandmother, Queen Victoria

The Daily Telegraph

Another look from the cover of The Sun.

The Sun

The photos were not made available in the same way Michael Middleton's photos of George were, they're being sold exclusively through Camera Press, there are four in total to view them all please click here.

Award-winning photographer Jason Bell was selected by The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to take their first son's christening portraits. Mr Bell is renowned for his images of Hollywood stars, rock and pop legends including Sir Paul McCartney, actress Scarlett Johansson, the cast of Downton Abbey and footballer David Beckham. His work regularly graces the pages of glossy magazines Vogue and Vanity Fair.

Vogue/Jason Bell

Kensington Palace confirmed the commission in a statement reading:

'Jason Bell is a well-established portrait photographer and his work has appeared in many of the world's foremost publications. Many of Jason's photos have been acquired for the National Portrait Gallery for their permanent collection.

He has received a number of awards, including The Royal Photographic Society's Terence Donovan Award for outstanding contribution to photography and Best British Black and White Photographer at the British Picture Editor's Awards.'

It is believed Mr. Bell's work came to the attention of the Duchess in her role as patron of the National Portrait Gallery where she would have undoubtedly noticed his work during her visits. Speaking about the opportunity to take the photos Jason said, 'I'm privileged to be recording this moment in history'.

Jason Bell

It's interesting to look back at previous royal portraits such as Prince William's christening portrait taken in the Music Room at Buckingham Palace in 1982.

PA

Prince William managed to steal the show whilst Prince Harry's christening photos were taken in 1984, much to the amusement of his mother Diana, grandmother The Queen and great-grandmother The Queen Mother.

PA

The photos were taken in the morning room at Clarence House where Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall gave a tea following the 45 minute service. Guests enjoyed slices of cake, which was a tier from William and Kate's wedding cake, before assembling to pose for the historic portraits.

It was a wonderful day for the Royal family and the Middleton family who were all smiles following yesterday's service. From what we could see, there was very much a relaxed, family feel around the event and William and Kate achieved the intimate christening they were hoping for.

What did you think of the official portraits? I thought Mr. Bell did a fine job and captured little George very well. It's interesting to note, photos of the godparents were not released to the public. It was quite special to see The Queen and three heirs photographed together; it's a photo which will have a special place in royal history.

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We have just one other update to share; the Winter Whites Gala benefiting homeless charity Centrepoint is confirmed for November 26. The black tie event will be held at Kensington Palace with music from Bon Jovi, Taylor Swift and Eliza Doolittle. Tickets which cost £500 are expected to sell out fast, while VIP ticket holders can expect an exceptional buffet, speeches and awards and carriages from 11.30pm. Prince William, patron of the organisation, will award Jon Bon Jovi, the Great Britain Youth Inspiration Award.

Centrepoint

A look at an invitation for the star-studded gala, it promises to be a very exciting night.

Thank you for reading, it's been a wonderful couple of days for royal watchers :)

Wow! Amazingly fast post. I'm sorry, but she really need a hair intervention. I know she is a new mom, but her hair looked so much better at this same event 2 years ago. She should use whoever Pippa is using - her hair looked amazing at the christening yesterday. Love this Packham gown - could have used a necklace though.

I LOVE this look! Gorgeous dress! I just wish she had put on a statement necklace. I wonder if we'll ever again see those sunburst rubies and diamonds she wore to the military awards back in 2011? I just think that neckline is crying out for some "I'm-a-princess" jewelry.

Ok, I LOVE Kate's dress. I only wish you could see the detail and color in the pictures of her that you do in the pictures of the models. Nice soft hair, she looks great as always.

One thing I was wondering about, since we are all itching to see Kate in a really fancy outfit with a tiara, is do we know if the Queen will be hosting any upcoming state dinners? Perhaps at one of these, Will and Kate will be invited and Kate will top off with a tiara. Or do you think that because she is married to the 2nd in line, that they don't feel it is appropriate for her to wear a tiara? Thoughts?

that's a good question about possible attendance at state dinners. like you, i'm eager to see kate in white tie level wear - tiara, major jewelry, the works!

now that they live in london, and are edging into full-time royal duties, i think we will see them at state dinners soon-ish. after all, william hosted his first investiture, something i didn't think we'd see for years.

there's no reason she should't wear a tiara - sophie wessex (and sarah, duchess of york, in her day) wears a tiara and she's married to someone much further down the line of succession.

Hey Charlotte,Just stopping by to check your post I knew you would have all the up to date information.Kate looks beautiful. Love the dress is very elegant and simple.I know I've said it before but something looks different about Kate. I just can't figure out what.

Her face's changed much after giving the birth. Her cheeks and eyebrows stay less puffy and dropped. I think it's because of the hormones and tiredness. And she's simply ageing. Her face looks more skinny. At the official portrait from Prince George's christening she and George look very, very strange. I hardly recognize them. I think it's because of photo retouching or poor copy. I saw some photos from Prince George's christening at DM and they were beautiful.

Kate looks gorgeous!!Love how she does heavy eye make up but her lipstick color is nude. Charlotte, do you know which earrings she is wearing? I could not notice them in any of the pictures. Thanks chica for this fabulous update!!xoxo

The duchess is looking radiant as usual. She looks so beautiful in the Jenny Packham's dress however I would prefer if she wears more jewellery such as a beautiful necklace, different bracelet or/and a pair if nice earrings. Better still if she wears a tiara. I think the dress though looks beautiful on her, jewellery would make her looks more complete.

My favorite christening photo is the one with baby George and his fists in the air. I can think of a couple of funny captions for it.

However, 2 things disappointed me. I really wanted a photo with the godparents, I wished they had released that one as well. And I'm not a photographer, but the photo with the Queen and the three princes seems a tiny bit off. What I mean is that it should have been the Queen holding the baby and William & Charles standing behind them. The picture would have looked better. Like the one with Queen Victoria, although they I guess they didn't want to it to be like an exact copy or have too much similarity between the two pictures. Any thoughts?

I thought that too, but it's very possible that they have a photo with the Queen holding George but just didn't release. Maybe they didn't want it to look like an updated version of the one with Queen Victoria.

Royalfan ... having trouble posting with my Google acct for some reason :(

I was checking in a whole day to see if u updated already!!!! (We r sort of taking it for granted). Lol!! Fabulous post Charlotte!! Luv the pics that he took!!! Amazing amazing!! Prince George is yummy!!

On a different note I want to say that I read kate the future queen. It made for a very very interesting read. Very informative. I am in the midst of reading The making of a royal romance also by Katie Nicholl. It is very boring!!!

Hello!What a couple of says! The christening and now this!A beautiful and honourable cause to support. I think many of us have known someone with an addiction. It's really sad and can bring families down. I'm sure she is doing a fantastic job.I love this dress! Very classy and charming, and stunning color. I love it when Catherine wears blue clothes! She could have worn a necklace or a diamond though, it would have made her look even better! About the hair, I think she is favouring an "ombré" colouring... Her roots are much darker than the hair ends! Or maybe she is just trying to stop colouring her hair! I must say I love her hair in a darker shade!And I'd really love to see her new ring! Could it be a gift related to George's birth or christening?Oh, and those gorgeous pictures!! I'm sure we couldn't have asked for better pictures! The one with William, Catherine and George is the prettiest ever! He is so cute, with his little arms up!And the other 3 are amazing as well! About the ball, Charlotte, if one person buys an invitation, does this person get the chance to meet the Duke and the Duchess? If so, I'm considering start saving some money hahahahaI really like Taylor Swift and Bon Jovi! About a month ago, I went to a Bon Jovi concert in Sao Paulo, and I have to say, I was somehow disappointed! He was just like Johnny Bravo, always trying to pose for the big screens, like "look how gorgeous I am". I still like his songs, though!Well, thank you for this post! Perfect as always!Big hugs!

The official portraits of baby George are precious! His expression in the one of the Cambridges is just too cute. Kate and will look so proud. She looked beautiful in the Peckham gown. I wish the photos showed the color better though. Kate definitely seems to prefer blues, and I can see why. It goes nicely with her skin tone.

Charlotte what a wonderful post. Kate looked just so stunning tonight. She is such a beautiful woman.You just amaze me at how fast you get these things post for us fans and I want to say thank you for all your hard work.

gorgeous evening dress! sooo pretty and feminine.but i agree with sabrina: the wide neckline really needs a necklace, or at the very least bigger earrings. she's given birth to a baby - time for some jewelry presents for her, royal family!

my only quibble: her hair. i think it needs more lift; it looks so flat against her head. i'm not sure if it's the result of the somewhat-new hairdresser, but i've been noticing for some time her hair no longer has the fullness and lift it used to (and which i loved!). i like the old style better!

christening pics:is it my imagination, or are they somewhat overly-lit? some of their faces look very pale and colorless.i have to admit, i liked michael middleton's pics better in some ways - more relaxed, happy, and flattering.

Duchess Kate looks marvelous. She could have used a necklace but the dress spoke for itself. Sometimes less is more. It was just right and her hair was nice also. Oh my Prince George was so animated in that photo with his mom and dad. He was probably saying thank goodness this is finally over. It was so great to see him and so proud that he behaved himself. As most of us know babies are extremely unpredictable. The historic picture wow, do you all realize we are living history. In years to come children in the future will be reading about this day that we are experiencing. Thanks so much Charlotte for this great post. You are always my first choice for information. I know this is a labour of love and we appreciate it. Have a great evening all.

She really needs to get a change in her hair style. For a formal event like this, and with such a stunning dress, she needs to put her hair up. Her hairstyle is something that dates from her college years - it's time for her to move to something more sophisticated, befitting a woman in her position.

Thank you, yes--I have posted this before and am happy to see others post as well. I had severe hair loss after both of my pregnancies, three months postpartum. I am very sensitive to issues about her hair styles as well, as I think I am seeing signs that perhaps she is going through the same. As any woman knows who has gone through hair loss for whatever reason, it is very traumatic. I wore my hair down as much as possible during this time because I lost so much hair that you could see my scalp on the sides when I pulled it back!

She does look great, very elegant. Cut her some slack regarding her hair. She likely has started to have it fall out in clumps. One of the many things that women don't share- hormones during pregnancy make you shed less hair but when it is over, watch out! It was quite scary actually. Yes, I agree a necklace would have been a good touch. I do admire her getting back to work. She seems like a very sweet person who is trying very hard to use her position for good. Debra

That is one gorgeous dress. One of my favourites, definitely. An updo and a diamond and/or sapphire necklace would have looked good too, although I think a necklace would get lost in her hair when it's down.

What a lovely post! It certainly has been a good week for us Royal Watchers! I absolutely love, love the official photos. William and Kate are just beaming as proud parents. But most of all I think we've all gotten an insight into what little Georgie is like - I can't get over how adorable he is!! And Kate's dress this evening was just show stopping, but of course we wouldn't expect anything different from our Duchess. Thanks for the post Charlotte!

Kate looks gorgeous I love her elegant dress and I like how she had the sleeves modified to be more appropriate for a woman in her position. I think her hair up with a necklace and with less blush would have been even better but she looks lovely as always. The photos are brilliant of the official christening ones very nice to see all future heirs to the throne with the monarch. George is a cute little doll! Thank you again Charlotte.

Kate looked stunning tonight. She looks healthy and rested and relaxed, good color, a natural smile, the gohe fwn was spectacular and it hit all the right notes for the event. Her hair looked good, looks like she may have gotten it trimmed and styled a bit from a few weeks ago. This is as close to the lovely, natural Kate we knew and got to admire before her engagement. I hope she keeps the look up, not too thin, just fit and healthy and natural-looking. Thanks for including the photo of Harry's christening, I'd almost forgotten those great photos. In looking at the new little prince, he definitely resembles Harry too - and Harry has always been said to resemble the Spencers more than the Windsors!!

Here's a logistical question since I'm curious about the staircase photo. Since the gala was held in one of the state rooms of KP, does that mean that Kate was able to just walk over to the rooms where it was being held? KP is a tough palace to figure out since it seems like there's so much more of it in back of the facade that the public actually sees. If she was, how handy and a nice break for her security team too!!

Kate looks lovely :) Beautiful dress! Love it. I was thinking a necklace would have topped off the look but, when I think of the whole purpose of the event to raise money for Action on Addiction, I can see that a little extra bling really is a little low on the totem pole., as far a being important. I am so thrilled that they were able to raise so much money. As you said Charlotte many of us know someone affected by drug addiction.

I love the family pictures. Not stuffy and informal but, relaxed, persona, modern l and still classy :) George, well he has quickly won the hearts of millions. Soooo scrumptous and delicious! Thank you Charlotte for keeping us up dated with the latest .It's been a busy week. Hope your weekend is relaxing :) Hugs!

Pauline - Prior to you posting I added the post above. I realize I sounded dramatic. I do think a picture with the Godparents would be a special way to include those chosen to fill the Godparent position and it would have been fun to see. That's all I meant.

Anon- I did not see your other post and for that matter my post is not showing up either.I jsut think that they did take a photo with the godparents and will not release it. As we know Will & Kate are very private. I feel we are lucky to have gotten what we did.

Wonderful work once again, Charlotte - your posts are really great!! Thanks!! I thought Kate looked a little bit tired today, as if she could do with a good night´s sleep! No wonder, with a three month old to look after.... we´re all just human after all, aren´t we? ;-))))As far as addiction is concerned, please let us all not forget that SMOKING is one of the worst addictions as by and while smoking, you do not only harm yourself but all others around you, too!! It´s so common that people think it is "normal" - but it´s not! And it´s about the only addiction where others AUTOMATICALLY are affected, too. Lung cancer caused by "passive smoking" is not something to laugh about - it´s a horrible disease followed by a horrible death! Eve from Germany

Thank you, Eve, for this comment! I agree with you completely. I have never smoked in my life and just yesterday, experienced yet another common example of how "normal" people think smoking is. While waiting for my husband's truck to be wiped down after a car wash, we were sitting nearby and one man sat down a chair away and lit up a cigarette. I waved my hand quickly as a response to smelling the smoke and he immediately rolled his eyes at me. He glared at me and I glared back. Finally, he stood up and as he walked to another corner of the building, he continued to stare at me as if I was being unreasonable. Sorry, but my air is being polluted and I don't think it's right! I am thankful that I don't have an addictive personality. It is very sad how addiction affects EVERYONE!

Thank you, Eve, for this comment! I agree with you completely. I have never smoked in my life and just yesterday, experienced yet another common example of how "normal" people think smoking is. While waiting for my husband's truck to be wiped down after a car wash, we were sitting nearby and one man sat down a chair away and lit up a cigarette. I waved my hand quickly as a response to smelling the smoke and he immediately rolled his eyes at me. He glared at me and I glared back. Finally, he stood up and as he walked to another corner of the building, he continued to stare at me as if I was being unreasonable. Sorry, but my air is being polluted and I don't think it's right! I am thankful that I don't have an addictive personality. It is very sad how addiction affects EVERYONE!

Lovely christening photos and so nice to see the Middletons included. It speaks volumes of how William and Kate are having a positive influence on the monarchy, making it less stuffy and bringing it into the 21st century. It's clear that both families are going to play an equal part in young George's life and he is going to have a much more stable upbringing than his father did.

My contribution from last night has disappeared into the ether! Somewhere there must be a black hole stuffed with undelivered e-mails and blogs!Beautiful dress----beautiful Duchess. I must be alone in loving her hair and strongly suspect she keeps it long because her husband likes it like that and perhaps I'm alone in liking it with a soft curl as last night.The group photos were nice and everyone looked happy----but they were really quite ordinary---the sort of photo we all have at a baby's Christening---except for the status of those pictured.I suppose the 4 generations has a modern touch with Daddy holding the baby--but the really lovely one is of the Duke and Duchess and an exuberant baby---is he just glad it's all over or is Uncle Harry pulling faces? Possibly the Godparents did not want their photos all over the press..On the whole, I prefer the informal ones taken at the Chapel Royal.Once again Charlotte you were very fast with the pictures---Thank you.

I'm very sorry but I don't like this dress on her... She looks so much older! And besides the detail that differentiates the dress are the shoulders down, and then she hides it with her hair? Furthermore she would have looked so elegant with her hair up... I think it's a shame.Roxy

The photos of the christening are amazing. And a lot more informal and familiar than I expected: everyone looking relaxed and smiling, and George with his little arms in the air is absolutely adorable :)

Regarding the gala, I'm sure they did a wonderful job, because they raised a great amount of money for the charity. About Kate's dress: well, it's not my favourite one, but it certainly represents simple and understated elegance.

I can't wait for the Winter Whites Gala! Kate missed last year's because of her acute morning sickness, so I'm very curious about this one.

Dare I say it? I thought that Kate's evening outfit was boring! She badly needed jewelry or something to lift her dress out of the ordinary. I think Kate has lost her sparkle a little bit. I think she needs a little more recovery time to be at her best appearance-wise. Then she will be more beautiful than ever!

What a cute baby! Would have been nice to see a picture with the Godparents too.

The Packham dress is beautiful. Love the lines, the color, the fabric. Think I would have preferred the sleeves off the shoulder, the way Packham intended. It's hard to tell.

For me, Kate's hairstyle ruined the effect. This could have been spectacular, but Kate's hair is covering up too much of the bodice. I personally can't wait till Kate chops off a few inches and puts her hair up more often. Too many lovely necklines have been obscured by that cocker spaniel hair.

(By the way, I have 2 children, so I know all about the hair loss after pregnancy. It stinks . . . )

I think Kate looks amazing but in the posed picture with William and George, does she look kind of weirdly plastic? I don't know if it is how she is angling her head towards William, but she looks so much more natural in the groups photos.

Awesome! Thanks for posting! The video of the Duchess shows her keeping her hand over her new ring! I hope she will show it soon! Especially if it was a gift to her! She deserves all the special gifts of jewelry that is bestowed on her! She is such a beautiful role model!!

Love kate! She looks great- my first reaction was that it was lacking a statement necklace but kate has always been a less is more kind of girl and i love her for it. A comment about the hair that i dont think anyone mentioned (for the record i think her hair looks fine) whenfreaking out that she isnt wearing her hair in an updo is that maybe she likes her hair down as a security blanket kind of thing. Thats what she is used to, and has worn her hair for so long, and maybe the change makes her feel awkward and not like herself. It must not be easy to be plastered on magazines and newspapers for the world to see, and maybe she just feels more comfortable that way. i know i personally feel very "naked" (so to say) with my hair up, since i normally wear it down.Also, physically, it covers more, and maybe makes her feel more secure.Justa thought.I also dont think the picture does the gown justice, its a gorgeous gown from the jenny packam pictures, with different lighting! im sure in person she knocked it right out of of the park- the pictures in some way make the dress more simple than it actually is.And can i just say how jealous i am of her figure post baby! I dont know how much is natural or if she had to work at it but good for her :)Sad she wont be around for a couple of weeks!And as always, thanks a million Charlotte for the excellent post!

okay, here goes. With all due respect to Kate, I pray she doesn't develop the one note hair syndrome of the princess royale, Anne. Maybe William does like her hair down better, but for the 1 to 2 % of the time for formal engagements she can dress it up a little more. And, with a stylist who knows how to do beautiful updos. Again, the whole uniqueness of the dress was the amazing bodice and back of the dress. Her "cocker spaniel" hair made it so she could have gotten a more basic, less costly gown and no big deal. Why pay for design and then cover it up?

And about the jewelry, or lack thereof, she needed a more prominent earring or a necklace. Yes, it was a fund raiser and some think she was trying for more low key, but too late. She wore a $6,000 gown, hello. And with her hair down, and lack of adequate jewelry, she did not do the dress the best she could have. And, enough of her being tired as an excuse. She has PLENTY of help and women with no help manage to dress to their best advantage every day of the week. I pray that William hasn't somehow curtailed her fashion fun by not wanting her to become a fashion icon like his mom.

And about Pippa, again with all due respect. She does not need any bespoke outfits. She needs a good stylist and fast. And she needs one that a true friend who has proven good fashion sense and knows about fit and tailoring to pick out for her, and fast. It would totally pay off for her, and fast. :) Many of her outfits leave many going, huh???????? She is always going to be photographed and has so many opportunities. Wouldn't it be so nice for her if she was dressed beautifully for each one?The christening outfit was poorly tailored at the placket down the front and the shoulder and sleeve seams were also very, very poorly tailored. They slanted down, not flattering, extended beyond where they should have been and then were gathered, making the slant even more pronounced. If you google the other outfit this designer did for her you will find she did an even worse job on that, IMO. Let's not even mention the pea green, big, satin coat and frumpy, floppy black hat she wore to the Waley-Cohen wedding in 2011. And the list could go on. Please, someone have some kindness and tell Pippa to please, please optimize her money and time spent for clothes and get a really good stylist. And Pippa, please try a less coy and debutante smile. That is beginning to look Juvenile and silly. You are not an ingenue and you are way past being a debutante. Let us just see the real you.

Yes, Diana was an unusually special and beautiful person, but I truly believe that people also fell in love with her image. Her outfits were always beautiful and creative and enhanced her beauty and persona. Would she have had the same following if she had dressed like Pippa or others who historically have made questionable fashion choices. We live in a media age and politicians, celebrities and even CEO's know the value of image. It is so sad to see Pippa struggle fashion wise like she has. The solution is simple and would be so cost effective.

I agree about Kate's hair, but I don't think she's in any danger of following Anne's lead. Yikes! :) I don't believe that William curtails her fashion-wise; I just think she is extremely careful not to draw too much attention to her clothes and be seen as a clothes horse. And ditto for being careful not to trigger resentment from those who are a little more in the shadows since she became a member of the RF.

Regarding Pippa, I must agree. Although *some* of her simpler outfits are nice, more often than not she appears to try too hard and that's when she can look frumpy. The green satin came to mind as I started reading your post....... :)

Kate looked gorgeous and the gown was absolutely beautiful. I loved the rich color of the gown and Kate did a SUPER job with her make-up. Her smile just shines! She looks SO good just 3 months post delivery! IMO she needed a beautiful necklace to really have the wow factor....something looked bare. I know she's always gone with the less is more, but sometimes you need more. Not sure what everyone's thoughts were..... That being said, I know the focus was on raising money for a wonderful charity and not on the lack of jewels. Kate has done a great job supporting Action on Addiction. It's such an incredible cause that can help so many, especially children. Exciting to see the amount of money raised!

The christening pictures are beautiful!!! My favorite is the family pic with just William, Kate, and George. They are SUCH a beautiful family! George looks adorable with his little arms out! Such a special day and a GREAT photo to treasure. Of course I loved seeing the Queen with 3 heirs. My only disappointment is not seeing a picture with the Queen holding George. THAT would have been a great historical picture. I really hope they took one and maybe just didn't publish it. It seemed like the day went as William and Kate had hoped and wanted....intimate and quiet. George was on his best behavior and happy. :)

Charlotte, you have done a BRILLIANT job with all the news and excitement this week! Thank you so much for all your hard work! You are GREATLY appreciated! I know I'll be checking back over and over to read through all the week's news and excitement!!!

The portrait of the 3 heirs with the Queen is a huge disappointment. Jason Bell hasn't a clue! The Victorian photo looked formal but appropriate. An informal photo would not have been appropriate at that time. But this new photo is not well judged in its formal style. William seems distanced rom his father and grandmother and it looks uncomfortable that he is standing with the baby. There is nothing fresh about it. It's just wrong. The rapport between photographer and royals is stiff. All have better smiles to display if with the right photographer.

I totally agree. They are a big disappointment. Nothing new and imaginative for such a monumental moment. Even as standard portraitures go they were dull, poorly staged and, yes, Pippa does for posterity now to see, look very pregnant. And Kate's head tilted like that looks surreal. How could the photographer let that happen? That's a big, obvious mistake also. And there is a line/shadow going from the top of George's head up the left side of Kate's neckline in the photo of the three of them. In the large group photo George is scrunched into Kate's lap and needed to be uprighted more. The photographer should have had that adjustment made. They needed an experienced photographer for such a hefty moment in history. There are so many simple things that are wrong with these photos and even just those things having been corrected would have made the tension in the photos considerably less. They certainly don't "flow". The gestalt is not there. how sad. When will four British monarchs be on life's stage at the same time again?

I have just read all of the comments for this post. Yikes! Lots to read!

I really admire Catherine. I personally don't think it's any of my business why she may look one way or the other. Most of the world doesn't know what she has to go through on a daily basis and I try not to judge her decisions. I just always look forward to reading Charlotte's posts and seeing the photos!I think I've written this before, but Catherine has so much pressure put on her and just like with anyone else, you can't please everyone. So I think she should just do what makes her happy within the limits under which she operates. She is very intelligent and courteous and I know she will continue to shine!

Re gala, Kate's dress was gorgeous and looked great on her. I would love to be able to wear such a beautiful dress any day! I have always loved her hair in a darker color and it looks amazing when worn both up and down (or in an updo). There is one gala photo that shows a very obvious pink blush and it's probably due to lighting. I don't notice it as much in the other photos.

Re christening, I love most of the photos. I agree that the one of the Queen with the future monarchs could have been set up better by the photographer. He is the expert. I would love to see a photo with the Queen holding Prince George. I wonder if photos that we were all hoping for were actually taken and will be released slowly over the years. You don't want to share them all at once! Something for us to look forward to, right?

I absolutely LOVE the photo of just Wills, Kate and George, where George is holding his arms up! What an adorable baby (and family). :-)

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